Gap Year Options: Fellowships and Residencies in Social Services & Nonprofits

Fellowships and Residencies provide structured opportunities to develop specific skills, whether in research, environment, public service, or other fields. These programs often offer mentorship and hands-on experience, helping students gain clarity on their future career paths.

Coro introduces program participants to all aspects of the public affairs arena, preparing them to translate their ideals into action for improving their own communities and beyond. Coro Fellows learn to see the big picture – the community as a whole – and appreciate the varying perspectives that characterize our cities, states, and nation.

Echoing Green Fellowships: provide seed funding for social entrepreneurs.  Focus includes solutions for communities, improving the life outcomes for black men and boys, and the mitigation and adaptation of climate change. 

Emerson National Hunger Fellows Program seeks individuals to help shape them into social justice leaders by focusing on fighting hunger and poverty in our country. 

The Greenlining Institute: The Fellowship is an 11-month professional development program for emerging social justice leaders taking the lead on race equity work, and advocating for change on a systemic level. Fellows are assigned to specific policy teams and hone their expertise by working with Greenlining staff on critical issues impacting our communities.

Scoville Peace Fellowship: The purpose of the fellowship is to provide an opportunity for college graduates to gain practical knowledge and experience by contributing to the efforts of nonprofit, public-interest organizations working on peace and security issues.

Change Corps: Change Corps offers a year-long, three-step program that will launch your career in social change

Samuel Huntington Public Service Award: The Samuel Huntington Public Service Award provides $30,000 stipends for graduating college seniors to pursue one year of public service anywhere in the world. The award allows recipients to engage in a meaningful public service activity for one year before proceeding on to graduate school or a career.

Humanity in Action Fellowship: Professional Fellowships are typically months-long paid positions to work full-time or part-time in policy-making, advocacy or social entrepreneurship in Europe and the United States. The fellowship brings together international fellows to study minority rights and produce research on diversity and democracy.

Boren Awards: Funded study abroad for US undergraduates focussing on language study, culture immersion and public service in regions and positions critical to national security and interests.